1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to automotive side view mirrors and, more particularly, to an auxiliary mirror adapted to be removably attached to the housing of the side view mirror for extending the viewing area of the side view mirror.
2. Description of the Related Art
Most automotive vehicles today have side view mirrors mounted on the exterior of the front doors for enabling the driver to see vehicles approaching from the rear. These side view mirrors, although adequate in most instances, fail to reflect vehicles in what is commonly referred to as "blind spots" located near the rear end of the vehicle. These blind spots can hide other vehicles from the view of the driver, resulting in a collision when the driver changes lanes without turning to see if other vehicles are in the adjacent lane.
The problem is specially acute when the vehicle is towing a trailer, a boat, a camper or the like. The side view mirrors on the vehicle are not large enough or spaced far enough away from the vehicle to show the entire blind spots back to the trailer being towed. For this reason, temporary side view mirrors extending further outwardly from the side of the car have been utilized. Typically, temporary side view mirrors are removably mounted onto the front fenders or the front door frames of the automobile by a series of mounting clamps or straps. Side view mirrors of this type are subject to extreme vibrations from the road, causing them to be loosened and consequently, displaced so as to be useless to the driver. These mirrors often scratch or wear the vehicle surface where the mounting clamps attach to the vehicle.
Other temporary side view mirrors have been proposed. For example, Pat. No. 4,111,532 discloses a temporary side view mirror for vehicles removably mounted onto an existing side view mirror. The additional mirror is attached to a mounting fitted over the existing mirror. An arm extending laterally outwardly from the mounting secures the additional mirror to the mounting increasing the vehicle operator's field of view. However, this mounting mechanism completely covers the existing side view mirror, forcing the driver to rely solely on the additional mirror while driving. Also, the weight of the additional mirror extending outwardly and supported by the arm may break if struck by flying objects, such as stones, or by the inadvertent bumping of the mirror against stationary objects.
Pat. No. 4,504,118 discloses another vehicle mirror for enlarging the viewing area of a side view mirror of tractor trailers. This auxiliary mirror helps the driver of the tractor-trailer in backing up while turning sharply or during a sharp turn on the roadway. The auxiliary mirror includes a pair of upper and lower brackets fixed directly to the existing side view mirror. The brackets extend outwardly for receiving the auxiliary mirror that provides the extra viewing along another path of sight. Other components, including support brackets, frame means, gaskets and connectors complete the auxiliary side view mirror. The number of component parts makes this mirror difficult to remove and reattach to a vehicle.